Amy Glynn Joins the Presidents Forum as Policy & Innovation Fellow

Amy Glynn Joins the Presidents Forum as Policy & Innovation Fellow

by | Jan 21, 2026 | Outcomes and Accountability

Amy Glynn has joined the Presidents Forum as a Policy & Innovation Fellow, a role designed to expand the Forum’s policy capacity and strengthen connections between institutional practice and national higher education conversations. She brings nearly 20 years of experience across higher education policy, institutional operations, and technology, with a focus on student financial success and large-scale system design.

Amy currently works at National University, where her experience includes supporting nontraditional student populations and engaging with the operational realities institutions face when implementing policy and regulatory requirements. Her background spans institutional, policy, and technology environments, providing a foundation for translating complex systems into clearer, more navigable processes for institutions and students.

In her fellowship role, Amy will work under the direction of the Executive Director and in collaboration with the Policy Director to support the Forum’s policy research, analysis, and communications infrastructure. Her work will include contributing to research and drafting efforts, tracking federal and regulatory developments, synthesizing information for member audiences, and supporting structured opportunities for institutional input and knowledge-sharing across the Forum’s membership.

Amy will also support the Forum’s efforts to strengthen internal processes for gathering, organizing, and communicating insights from member institutions, with attention to how policies and administrative systems affect institutional operations and student progress. Her work will help reinforce the Forum’s role as a hub for institutional learning, coordination, and shared understanding across innovative colleges and universities.

Rooted and Relevant: Rebuilding the Adult Learner Ecosystem

Rooted and Relevant: Rebuilding the Adult Learner Ecosystem

by | Jan 20, 2026 | Working Learners

By: Justin Lonon

America’s economic future hinges on a simple truth: postsecondary credentials are becoming increasingly more relevant. Yet tens of millions of adults remain stranded — without degrees, without pathways and without support.

By 2031, 72% of jobs will require education beyond high school, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Meanwhile, 43.1 million Americans have left college without a credential. 

The consequences of this national completion crisis are profound. Students invest in tuition, books and housing, only to leave without the degree that unlocks higher wages and career mobility.

Employers are feeling this pain as well. Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas states that as industries evolve and technology reshapes the workforce, employers increasingly seek workers with verified, up-to-date skills. For adult learners, earning postsecondary credentials or certifications translates directly into higher wages, stronger job security and clearer career advancement pathways.

The lifetime earnings of a full-time, full-year worker with a high school diploma are $1.6 million, while workers with an associate degree earn $2 million, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. This highlights the significant return on investment in accessible, two-year higher education — and there are additional support and advancement benefits that a community college has to offer.

Breaking Barriers, Building Futures

At Dallas College, we see adult learners as the key to unlocking economic mobility and solving the national completion crisis. They are balancing jobs, families and financial pressures. They’re reinvesting in their future, and we must meet them with systems that reflect their reality. 

Cost remains a critical barrier. In a Gallup–Lumina Foundation study, 87% of the Some College, No Credential (SCNC) population cited affordability as a top reason for leaving. Others pointed to work conflicts, stress and limited learning modalities.

These are real-world problems that adults face. And in order to get adult learners back into the classroom, we must address them head-on. Some of the most persistent barriers include child care, transportation and access to flexible learning options.

Take Adamaris, for example. After earning dual credit in high school through Dallas College, she returned to pursue her dream of becoming an educator — this time as a mother. Her journey was made possible through Dallas College’s child care program, which provided a safe, supportive space for her son while she attended classes and studied. Now, Adamaris is on track to graduate next spring with her son cheering her on.

A New Ecosystem

Adaptability is the most important thing to consider regarding how to support adult learners, according to Katy Launius, Ph.D, strategy officer for student success at Lumina Foundation.

“I think what is best is when community colleges can think about how to really build an adult learner ecosystem. And that’s one where they’re creating an environment that is intentionally adaptable — so they’re finding ways to bring services to where adult learners are. They’re embracing flexibility in the delivery of courses and services. They’re thinking about how to intentionally provide for students’ basic needs and support.”

Dallas College is doing just that. Through Career-Connected Learning, we offer flexible, low-cost training programs that meet learners where they are — whether pursuing a GED, ESL instruction, job training or a degree. We’re also launching our fourth bachelor’s degree in management with a competency-based model, allowing students to accelerate their studies based on prior experience. 

We’re busting those life barriers too. Our Learner Care Model provides affordable tuition and wraparound support: transportation, child care, coaching and access to basic needs. These aren’t extras — they’re essentials. 

This work is not just about enrollment. It’s about equity and economic mobility. By building adaptable ecosystems and removing barriers, we’re showing what’s possible when institutions commit to supporting adult learners. 

We invite educators, employers and policymakers to join us — not just in adapting to change, but in reimagining what postsecondary education must become.  

How AI is Changing Public Comment Analysis

How AI is Changing Public Comment Analysis

by | Jan 16, 2026 | Innovation, Video

How AI is Changing Public Comment Analysis

Why it matters:

Public comments play a real role in shaping federal regulations, but the volume and complexity of those comments make them difficult for institutions to engage with effectively. Thousands of submissions can overwhelm even experienced policy teams.

The big picture:

AI is changing what is possible. By analyzing large sets of public comments at once, institutions can identify patterns, stakeholder priorities, and direct links between comments and changes in proposed regulations. What once took weeks of manual review can now be done in hours.

What stands out:

Kelly Karki of Purdue Global describes how AI turns public comments from an overwhelming obligation into a strategic tool. Instead of reading submissions one by one, AI can surface a small number of core concerns and show how those concerns align with regulatory changes.

Bottom line:

AI does not replace judgment or expertise, but it levels the playing field. It allows more institutions to engage meaningfully in the regulatory process and to see clearly how public input can shape policy.

Rethinking Rigor in a System Built on Barriers

Rethinking Rigor in a System Built on Barriers

by | Jan 12, 2026 | Innovation, Video

Rethinking Rigor in a System Built on Barriers

Why it matters:

Higher education often treats difficulty as evidence of rigor. Over time, that has led institutions to defend complexity and friction, even when those obstacles do little to improve learning or student outcomes.

The big picture:

Making college easier to navigate does not mean making it academically weaker. It means removing administrative and structural barriers so students can spend more time learning and less time trying to decipher the system. When programs are designed around outcomes rather than seat time, students progress more efficiently while still meeting high expectations.

What they’re saying:

Students do not arrive as blank slates. They bring prior learning from work, life, and earlier education. Institutions serve students best when they help learners demonstrate what they already know, identify genuine gaps, and move forward with purpose, instead of forcing repetition that adds cost and time without adding value.

What to watch:

Technology, particularly AI, is accelerating this shift. Used thoughtfully, it can support personalized feedback, adaptive learning, and academic support at a scale higher education has historically struggled to achieve. The opportunity is not automation for its own sake, but better learning supported by clearer signals of progress and mastery.

Bottom line:

Rigor is defined by results, not by how hard a system is to navigate. The future of higher education depends on clearing pathways for students while holding firm to meaningful academic standards.

The Learners Workforce Pell Is Meant to Reach

The Learners Workforce Pell Is Meant to Reach

by | Jan 9, 2026 | Innovation

The Learners Workforce Pell Is Meant to Reach

The big picture:

Unlike traditional Pell, Workforce Pell targets people already in the workforce or seeking to reenter it. Many are not enrolled anywhere today because long-term programs were never a viable option. Short-term credentials can work for these learners, but only if quality and outcomes are central to the design.

Who this impacts most:

  • Working adults seeking advancement or a career change
  • Learners in applied fields such as IT and healthcare
  • Individuals who need fast, affordable pathways tied to jobs

What they’re saying:

Access alone will not be enough. Institutions, states, and employers all have a responsibility for making sure learners know these options exist and can navigate them successfully. Quality safeguards matter, but they need to be informed by data, not fear of innovation.

What to watch:

  • Stackable credentials that can build toward larger goals
  • Hands-on learning through labs, simulations, and real-world scenarios
  • Competency-based education that lets learners prove what they can do
  • Employer collaboration to validate skills and hiring outcomes

Bottom line:

Workforce Pell has real potential to expand opportunity, but its success depends on maintaining quality while designing programs that reflect how working learners actually build skills and careers.